Bustle.



Patented lan. I5, l90l. J. GUIGLEY.

BUSTLE.

'Auulicstiun led May 12, 1900.)

fNo Nudeln NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSAMINE QUIGLEY, 0F HAMMOND, INDIANA.

BUSTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,066, dated January15, 1901.

Application tiled May l2, 1900. Serial No. 16.470. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, J EssAMINE QUIGLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at 43 Warren avenue, Hammond, in the county of Lake and Stateof Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in aCombined Corset and Bustle; and l do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as willenable othe rs skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

Thisinvention belongs to the class of crinoline for imparting shape tothe trunk or body portion of the human form, and relates most especiallyto the novel formation of bustle and the combination therewith of acorset, the two being` formed as one garment or article.

One of the chief `characteristics is to maintain the set of the bustleand prevent its shifting from one side to the other according as thewearer changes. her position, thereby7 equalizing the weight of theskirts, which is essential from a physical as well as an esthetic pointof view.

Another advantage is to have the bustle adjnstable to vary theinclination and the relative length of the bows to attain any desiredset and hang to the skirts, these adjustments being independent of theadjustment of the corset to the person.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of construction,and combination of the parts, which hereinafter will be more fullydisclosed and finally claimed, and for this purpose and also to acquirea knowledge of the merits of the invention and the structural details ofthe means whereby the results are attained reference is to be had to theappended description and the drawings hereto attached.

I/Vhile the essential and characteristic features of the invention arenecessarily susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodimentof the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l is a rear view of a combined corset and bustle, showing one ofmany practical forms of the invention. Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig.l, on a larger scale, parts of the corset being broken away and thecover of the bustle being omitted. Fig. 3 is a vertical section about onthe line X X of Fig. 2. 4 is a detail View of one of the bows.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The corset illustrated is of ordinary formation and may be high or lowand full or fiat, according to the design and effect to be produced. Thesides l of the corset are adjustably connected in any desired manner,preferably by lacing 2, whereby provision is had for adapting it to theshape and size of the wearer within certain limits.

The bustle involves a sectional construction, the parts being secu redto the rear quarters of the corset-sections at their lower ends. Theinner portions of the bustle sections overlap, so as to make provisionfor lengthening and shortening, according as the corsetsections arebrought together more or less when fitted to the person. The outerportions of the bustle-sections are attached to the parts of the corset,so as to move therewith, and do not interfere with adapting the articleto the form, so as to give the desired set to the skirts. In elevationthe bustle is widest at a middle point and gradually contracts towardits upper and lower ends. In order to obtain this result, the bows Varyin length, the upper and lower bows being shortest and the middle bowthe longest. The bows 3 normally incline upwardly and forwardly when thebustle is in position upon the person and are adapted to fold closeagainst the wearer when sitting, so as to afford ease and comfort andenable the wearer to sit squarely upon a chair, couch, or other support.The bows are connected to the corset in such a manner as to readilyswing outward and downward into the position shown most clearly in Fig.3 when a person rises and is standing, so as to give the desired effectto the skirts. The relative inclination of the bows can be varied toincrease or decrease the swell eifect of the article by means of tapesor straps 4E, which are connected to each of the bows intermediate oftheir ends and have adjustable connection at their upper ends with thecorset. Any means may be employed for adjustably connecting the Fig.

, parts 4 with th ecorset, and, as shown, a series IOO of buttonholesare provided in the upper end portions of the tapes, and buttons 6 aresecured to the corset to engage with any one of the series ofbuttonholes.

It has been indicated how the swell of the bustle may be varied byadjusting the bows 3 so as to incline more or less. It is alsocontemplated to vary the swell of the bustle by adjusting the length ofthe bows, and this result is effected in the simplest form by means of acover 7, which is stitched at its outer ends to the sections of thecorset and divided on a line corresponding with the lacing of thecorset, the parts of the cover 7 being secured by lacing 8 or in anyconvenient way which will admit of the sections of the cover beingadjustably connected. The bows normally tend to spring outward, and thistendency is controlled by the lacing 8, which can be taken up or letout, as required. Any means the equivalent of the parts 7 and 8 may beernployed for varying the length of the bows to the attainment of thedesired end. Each of the bows is composed of sections 9 andlO,

having their inner ends overlapped and slidably connected. The terminalsof the overlapped portions are bent laterally and formed with eyes forthe passage therethrough of the respective parts. Each of the sectionsis curved longitudinally, so as to spring outward, and the sections whenunited form a bow having the desired curvature. A coilspring ll of theretractile type is mounted upon the overlapped portions of the bows,

and its terminals are secured to the eye ends of the respective sectionsin such a manner as to normally tend to bring the eye-terminalstogether, thereby resulting in a lengthening of the bow, whereby itscurvature is increased, since the outer terminals of the bow remain at afixed distance from each other after the corset has been adjusted to titthe wearer. The action of the springs ll is controlled by the adjustingmeans 7 and 8, herein referred to at length.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that the bustle, beingattached to the y corset and practically forming a part thereof,maintains a fixed position and cannot shiftg laterally or vertically.Hence the weight of the skirts is at all times equalized and the drapingeffect is maintained. The bustle can be contracted or expanded to meetthe taste of the wearer and to impart to the skirts the desired {iowingeffect. When the person sits, the bustle folds, and upon rising thebustle instantly assumesa normal position, due to the weight of theskirts and to the inclination of the bows.

While it is not the intention to construct the bustle separate and apartfrom the corset, yet the novel features involved in the formation of thebustle may beembodied in articles ofthis character.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new isl. Incombination with a corset, a sectional bustle secured thereto andcomprising a series of bows disposed about in parallel relation andhaving independent connection with the sections ot' the corset atdiiferent points in the length of the corset and normally upwardlyinclined, a connection attached to the several bows, and means for adjustably securing the upper end of the connection to the corset to varythe inclination of the bows and the swell of the bustle, substantiallyas set forth.

2. In a bustle, bows composed of sections having their inner endportions overlapped and slidably connected, a spring normally tending tolengthen the bows by forcing the sections apart, and adjustable meansfor controlling the action of the said spring and X- ing the curvatureof the bows, substantially as setV forth.

3. In combination with a corset, a sectional bustle having its partssecured to the sections of the corset, the inner end portions of thebustle-sections being overlapped and slidably connected, a cover for thebustle composed JESSAMINE QUIGLEY.

Witnesses ANDREW QUIGLEY, MAYELLA GREENE.

